Renovations to the 182,000 s.f. historic Dixon High School included complete masonry restoration on the exterior façade, installation of a secure vestibule for improved student/staff safety, new historically accurate windows with improved thermal properties, restroom upgrades to bring into ADA compliance, new asphalt parking lots for students/staff and HVAC/electrical upgrades, and a complete geothermal system.
Dixon High School was built in 1929 and had no existing drawings. Therefore, there was no knowledge about what was poured on the floor or behind walls.
Our team found a lot of piping with asbestos that had to be abated and rerouted without extending our finish date. Exterior masonry work began while school was in session, so, coordination with the school to set routes for students was crucial. Safety was also a big concern with overhead masonry taking place, so, fencing, signage, and other safety precautions were taken.
The HVAC equipment for the job had to be purchased and released before the rest of the scope packages were bid. This was because the design was not 100% yet, and to complete the project on time the equipment needed to be ordered. Normally the HVAC equipment would be in the Mechanical contractor’s contract but instead, the school went direct to the supplier and purchased before the mechanical contractor was chosen. The window replacement was a large portion of the project and due to lead time concerns, the window portion of the project was bid early to ensure the windows would be manufactured and arrive on-site in time to keep the schedule.
